Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 September 2023
116. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he can detail any work ongoing in his Department in relation to transitioning fishers from fossil fuels towards electric engines. [41796/23]
View answerThe energy transition of the Irish fishing fleet is important in terms of responding to climate change, reducing dependence on fossil fuels and facilitating the fleet in becoming more sustainable in both environmental and economic terms.
The development of electric or renewable propulsion for fishing vessels is in its infancy and faces significant barriers to development. While longer term possibilities of substitution of fossil fuels are being explored, I am taking immediate action through supporting the improvement of energy efficiency for the Irish fleet. Under my Department’s EMFAF Seafood Development Programme 2021-2027, actions have been included to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions in the Irish Fleet. This will be supported through making funding available for the replacement or modernisation of vessel engines and supporting the adoption of more fuel-efficient fishing gears on board fishing vessels. Outside of direct supports, funding is also made available for research in the area of reducing carbon emissions.
Beyond fleet development, the Climate Action Plan 2023 contains two specific actions on this issue for my Department to develop a roadmap for the efficient upgrading of existing infrastructure within the Fishery Harbour Centres and to reduce fossil fuel dependency/consumption across Fishery Harbour Centre infrastructure.
The Fishery Harbours and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme for 2023 includes projects to upgrade existing lighting and heating systems in Fishery Harbour Centres. This includes €450,000 for Energy Saving Measures in Killybegs and €100,000 for similar works in Castletownbere. The provision of improved electrical shore power is expected to further reduce the consumption of fossil fuels by fishing vessels within the Fishery Harbour Centres. A key investment already in situ is the ‘Cold Ironing’ project at Killybegs which was part funded by the Irish Government and EMFF Seafood Development Programme at a cost of €1.7 million. That project is expected to save up to 2,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year and puts Killybegs at the forefront of having such technology.
